The Sorting Children
by Silmelinwen
Summary: Albus Potter makes his decision... now what has he done?  Chronicles Albus's first year through Hogwarts.
1. Chapter 1

The Sorting Children

James Potter stepped off the thestral drawn carriage and onto the cobblestone that lead up to the towering castle. He smiled at his best friend Sean Finnigan, before saying,

"Finally." Sean made no reply, but grinned as his hair turned crimson red, and gold. Alice Thomas clapped her hands together in admiration,

"You are such a magnificent boy!" She murmured.

"Albus, and Rosie are finally getting sorted…. And Sean… stop showing off with your metamorphmagi business… don't think you're the only one I know." Sighed James.

"Yes… I hope the hat makes up a good song this time... And don't listen to James, I think it's brilliant." Alice slipped her hand into Sean's. James gave a groan,

"Could you please save the lovey dove for when I'm NOT around."

Meanwhile, Albus Severus Potter was finding it very difficult to step off of the small boat, his nerves making him very clumsy. Rose on the other hand was very stiff; her bushy brown hair seemed to crackle with rigidity. When the doors swung open, the children all stepped back at the sight of a very old but impressive looking woman.

"That must be Professor McGonagell." Whispered Rosie.

"First years, when you walk through these doors you will be sorted into one of the four Hogwarts houses. Each house is named after one of the founders: Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. Each of these houses pertain to different characteristics, and you will be sorted accordingly."

Albus shivered as he looked up into the Professor's piercing eyes. The first years began to walk forward. Rosie looked about trying to find where James was sitting. She scanned the Gryffindor tables before hissing into Albus's ear,

"Your brother's over there, wave." Albus grinned over to where James laughed at the apparent nervousness swarming through Albus's head.

McGonagell placed the hat on the stool… it stood there ragged and black as ever it could be. Rose leaned towards Albus,

"My mum says that every year it sings a song, uncle George told me there was a test that hurt a lot, but I know he was joking." Albus merely nodded as a battle ensued in his brain.

Then the sorting hat opened its mouth and began to sing. Albus listened to the words carefully.

A new year of Hogwarts

A new time to be

I'll sort you into a house that will describe you to the tee

Brave Gryffindor lions are proud and noble

Loyal Hufflepuff is fair and still noble

Our intelligent Ravenclaw is noble beyond its dreams

But what about the house many look down upon… or so it seems

Slytherin is ambitious, cunning, and determined

A house we must learn to forgive

It has produced some evils, but it has produced some goods

But thinking upon it, yes, this house is quite noble too.

What if the hat thought he belonged in Slytherin? What should he do? He wanted to be in Gryffindor… but if the hat should consider him better suited for another house, it would be wise to follow it's decision. Trembling, Albus decided to put his faith in the hat and not question its judgment.

McGonagell unrolled a long sheet of parchment,

"Arella Lella step forward." The small girl went forward, sitting herself on the wooden stool… the hat was dropped over her eyes… then it shouted,

"Ravenclaw!" She smiled and walked over to the blue and gray adorned table. McGonagell continued to call names as Rose began to recite,

"Well, I suppose that I'll get sorted into Gryffindor, that would be amazing if that happened. But Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad. I really wouldn't like Hufflepuff or Slytherin… I don't know." Albus looked at Rose with a slight annoyance. He remembered his dad saying how his aunt Hermione was like a Rose in miniature. He could picture his aunt rambling on about the houses to the annoyance of others.

"Malfoy, Scorpius." A lanky boy Albus had seen at the train station swaggered up to the stool, with a confident cocky look plastered on his face. The hat wasted no time in screaming Slytherin, seconds before it reached his sleek blonde hair. Rose began murmuring under her breath once more,

"That's Draco's son, he used to go to school with our dads. Rotten family really. They were on the dark side, but then when their own lives were in danger towards the end they stayed out of everything. Then they obviously came out for the better. You'd think with his father's bad reputation he'd be a little less sure of himself…" Rose started off on another tirade, before the McGonagell finally called,

"Potter, Albus." Heads all turned to look at the miniature replica of The Boy Who Lived. James mouthed the word, "Slytherin" in a jeering fashion. All the teachers looked to see the hat fall gently over Albus's head. Albus adjusted his glasses beneath the hat.

"Another Potter. I wanted to put your father in Slytherin, I wanted to put your brother in Slytherin. They would have done well. Ambitious and cunning youngsters they were when they stepped under my brim. Hmmm. You hold the same talent. You'd do well in Slytherin. But I'll suppose you'll want Gryffindor like the rest." Albus concentrated beneath the hat, as he thought,

"I'd love to be in Gryffindor, but… what did the Sorting Hat's song say? We need to start showing people that good can come from Slytherin. Something like that. Besides my own dad should have been a Slytherin. Do with me what you want." The Sorting Hat seemed to jump in excitement on top of his head as it prepared to bellow,

"SLYTHERIN!" Albus took off the hat with weak knees. Instead of the thunderous applause that greeted everyone else who had gotten sorted, there was dead silence. Harry Potter's son… a Slytherin? The teachers looked stunned, the students were quiet. Albus turned to look at James's face, which was flickering with ten different emotions. James looked as though he was ready to erupt with anger, cry, and go into hiding all at the same time. Albus made a face of self-disappointment towards James, as he prayed his brother would forgive him. Quietly he took a seat by a slender black haired boy, who looked alarmingly like himself, and sitting in front of him was Malfoy. He was still wearing the haughty expression as he began to jabber,

"Of course I knew I was going to be in Slytherin. My whole family has been. Though with all this mingling of the houses, I'm willing to bet I'm one the only few pure blooded ones left." Albus gave a small cough before turning away,

"What you think I'm lying, do you? No need to ask who you are. Black messy hair, glasses, and bad posture…. You must be a Potter."

"Hush up." Said Albus in his quiet demeanor. McGonagell had just called Rose up to be sorted. Rose sat underneath the hat, her hands firmly gripping the edges of the stool. The hat seemed to waste no time in screaming out,

"Gryffindor!" There was much applause. At least Rose hadn't failed the Weasleys in not becoming a Gryffindor, thought Albus. Where as he… had to have been the first Potter to not make Gryffindor. But it had been his choice, hadn't it?


	2. Evil Snake

The Sorting Children Ch.2

Finally the sorting ended with, "Zabini, Jasmine" being sorted into Slytherin. McGonagell put away the hat, and then cleared her throat.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts to those returning students, and to those first years, I'd like to say: Welcome, once more. Now to our first years, you have just been sorted into your houses, your triumphs in your classes and such will earn you points, while your misbehaviors and misconduct will lose points from your house. At the end of the year the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup."

Albus's eyes widened as food appeared before them. Scorpius resumed his talk of blood, as the boy next to him began eating rather messily. Albus felt an ominous presence standing behind him, turning his head he faced his brother.

"What happened?" James questioned, anger and disappointment etched into his voice.

"I just let the hat put me where it thought I should go, it won't matter to dad anyway. He told me himself." Mumbled Albus, trying not to cry.

"Dad might've just told you that because he knew you were going to be in Gryffindor because you wanted to be in Gryffindor. Now what's he going to say? He's going to be sad his son is an evil snake." Whispered James so as not to be overheard by the millions of Slytherins sitting. Albus's green eyes clouded over with frustration,

"I'm not evil. You're the evil one trying to make me feel bad for not lying." With that he couldn't hold back anymore, he just began to cry. James looked startled then dashed away, but not before saying,

"You really disappointed Rose too." Albus felt sick to his stomach, but had no desire to move. He just let his tears fall onto his empty plate. Scorpius smirked at the boy before saying,

"What's the matter Potty? Sad you can't be with your big brother? Scared to be all on your own… Potty."

Albus didn't move, he felt infuriated. How could this boy tease him now of all moments?

"Prefects, please lead the first years to the dormitories." Came the commanding voice of McGonagell. A hefty boy with a mole over his eyebrow, and a short mousy haired girl began calling for all the Slytherins to follow. Albus felt his feet move beneath him, he turned around watching Rosie walk with the Gryffindors, she gave him a mournful look, as she nudged James. James did not give any sort of mournful look, he gave Albus a look of pure venom.

The Slytherin common room was dark, and murky, everything was a green or silver color. The dormitories were no less inviting. There were six beds in each dormitory, all of a silvery stone; two small candles dimly lighted the room. Albus noted his tawny owl: Godric was not in her cage, but a small notice attached to his belongings said that she had been placed in the Owlery.

Quietly he plopped down on one of the beds. He dreaded the knowledge of what he had to do… and yet he felt himself turning over onto his stomach, and reaching for his trunk upon the floor. Pulling out a sheet of parchment and quill, he sighed.


End file.
